


Outcast

by ChristineThalassinou1990



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: Jedi Apprentice Series - Jude Watson & Dave Wolverton
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crying, Dooku has a foul mouth, Exile, Family, Family Feels, Fever, Fluff, Fuck The Jedi Council, Gen, Hurt Obi-Wan Kenobi, Hurt/Comfort, Jedi Master Dooku, Master & Padawan Relationship(s), Obi-Wan Needs a Hug, Padawan Obi-Wan, Protective Dooku, Qui-Gon needs a hug, Sick Jedi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-30
Updated: 2018-11-18
Packaged: 2019-08-11 02:08:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 10,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16466660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChristineThalassinou1990/pseuds/ChristineThalassinou1990
Summary: After the Xanatos-incident, the Jedi Council decides that perhaps Qui-Gon is not suitable for the Jedi life and kicks him out of the Order. Qui leaves, devastated and feeling betrayed.How the other Jedi would react to this? And with Qui being exiled, who would train little Obi-Wan?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The first chapter is so short due to me still trying to figure out how to write this story exactly. I'd had this idea of Qui being kicked out of the Order for a while, and now I have to decide how I want it to be played out. To be honest, I'm not quite sure yet, so... but I hope for the best.
> 
> For those who're clicking because of Obi: he comes into the story in Chapter 8.

"It is perhaps for the best. Go, and may the Force be with you."

Qui-Gon wanted to say something, anything, but he couldn't utter a word. He just couldn't believe what just happened.

Yes, he screwed up; he failed, and his Padawan fell to the Dark Side. And if it wasn't enough in itself, the Council just added to his misery with their judgement: banishment, he'd just got kicked out of the Order. And he didn't even know why.

Thorough the long history of the Jedi Order, it happened from time to time: Padawans fell, knights fell, even masters fell, still, their masters and friends had never been blamed for the failure. So now Qui-Gon had no idea at all what was going on.

"But... why?" he managed to ask, however, he wasn't sure anyone heard his question; he could hardly speak past the urge to cry.

"Your true place, perhaps it is not" Yoda said. "Think like a Jedi, you cannot, you never could. Somewhere else you might have a life that suits you better."

Qui-Gon really wanted to tell Yoda – and the whole Council, for that matter – where to put their we-know-better-what-is-the-best-for-you attitude, but he simply couldn't speak without the risk of bursting into tears, so he just turned on his heel and escaped from the council chamber. The last thing he saw through his tears was Yoda's eyes, full of pity.

⃰

An hour and a severe crying fit later Qui-Gon sat on his bed in his room, wiping his face with the sleeve of his tunic. The first shock of the recent events dissipated somewhat, so he was more in control of his emotions, but he still felt awful and miserable.

He had to leave the Temple until next morning, so he hadn't too much time. He couldn't even think about facing his friends' disappointment in him, so Qui-Gon had no intention at all to say goodbye to anyone here. It hurt like hell, knowing that he wouldn't come back here, he wouldn't see the most important people in his life ever again, but he didn't want to make it even harder. It was the safest option to get out of here in absolute secret.

Qui-Gon deemed sleep hopeless, so he took a long, hot shower, then packed the things he thought he would need: clothes, first aid kit (he was a Jedi, and therefore, a trouble-magnet, after all), and money. He managed to save some thorough the years he served as a Jedi, but it wasn't much. He had an amount of money that would last only for a few months.

It was well past midnight when exhaustion kicked in and Qui-Gon fell asleep, curled up in the corner of his bed. His dream was restless, and after a few hours he woke up, tired, sad and confused. He still couldn't process completely the thought that he had to leave the only home he knew in all of his life. It just felt utterly wrong.

Tears threatened to fall again, but this time he managed to hold them back; he didn't want to show any weakness while he was still here. It was still semi-darkness outside, but Qui-Gon decided that it was pointless to delay the inevitable, so he got up, washed his face with cold water to wake himself up a little, then grabbed his pack and left the Temple.

He didn't look back, not for once.


	2. Chapter 2

_Where do homeless Jedi go?_ , Qui-Gon thought as he wandered aimlessly on the streets of Coruscant.

The air was still a bit chilly, so he pulled his robe tight around himself and kept its hood up; however, it wasn't just because of the cold. He didn't want anybody to see the tears in his eyes. He felt simply awful.

It seemed that the Council didn't have any intention to make it at least a bit easier for him – like, giving him at least some advice about where to go or what to do. They just threw him out like ordinary humans would kick out a misbehaving cat. Qui-Gon sometimes wondered if they were just that for the Council: pets to push around. The Council was very good at judging people and being far too bossy, after all. But to offer aid and understanding in personal crises? Bitch, please.

Qui-Gon sighed and tried to resist the urge to just hide in a corner, curl up and cry. He knew it wouldn't help, however terrible he felt right now. The Jedi didn't want him; but perhaps Yoda might be right, and somewhere else he'd find a place he could fit in. He just had to find this place.

With a newly discovered purpose, Qui-Gon headed toward the nearest spaceport.

⃰

"They did _what_?"

Mace Windu wasn't a person easily frightened, but when he heard the murderous undertone in Dooku's voice, he involuntarily flinched. The two Jedi met on the Temple's own spaceport, when Dooku's ship landed; he was back after a two-month-long mission.

The news of Qui-Gon's exile spread fast in the Order, so it was just a matter of time for it to reach Dooku, Qui-Gon's former mentor. And Mace was rightfully afraid of the Jedi master's reaction. Dooku and Qui-Gon were close to each other even after they weren't master and Padawan anymore, and Dooku was highly protective of his very first apprentice.

"Look, I don't know how it happened exactly, I just heard about that, too. And I thought it would be better if you get this news before you're anywhere near the Council chamber."

"Oh, don't worry, Yoda _will_ have to deal with me. But... what was the reason? Was there a reason at all?" Dooku asked, barely controlling his boiling emotions.

"Well... Qui-Gon's Padawan fell to the Dark Side, and it seems the Council took it as a sign of his unsuitability to be a Jedi. But I think it was just the last drop... Qui had never been a too Jedi-like person, even you have to admit that" Mace said as they walked toward the Temple.

"I know, but exile? It's just too cruel. I don't understand..." Dooku shook his head and after bidding farewell to Mace, he set to find master Yoda and get an explanation from the little green troll, whatever it took.

⃰

It wasn't yet ten o'clock in the morning when Qui-Gon managed to get a job on a cargo ship. Being a diplomat, and therefore, good with words, had its advantages. He could convince the captain fast that he wouldn't regret having him in his crew, and even managed to cut a deal: for his work, the captain agreed to give him a lift to Dantooine.

Thanks to the recent events, Qui-Gon was much more withdrawn than usual, he'd appreciate more if the others had left him alone for a change, but he still couldn't help his instinctively open nature, and managed to end up chit-chatting with another member of the crew.

It all began when the guy – about a decade younger than Qui-Gon – gave him some soup as lunch, and Qui-Gon asked his name; he thought he should memorize at least the others' names, if nothing else.

As it turned out, his name was Jeremy, the captain's son. As he talked, Qui-Gon found out that it was a family business, Jeremy's father transported cargo (mostly food and textile) all around the galaxy.

"And do you really like doing this?"

"Well, it's not my dream job, but it'll do" Jeremy shrugged; he had short, messy black hair and nice brown eyes, and he seemed nice altogether. He even could make Qui-Gon smile for a few times during their conversation.

Qui-Gon had no intention to tell anyone that he was a Jedi, but life, or the Force, had other ideas altogether.

Since they dealt with heavy cargo, there was an ever-present risk of accidents: falling crates and other pretty unpleasant occurrences. In the afternoon, being tired because of his restless night and the hard work, poor Qui-Gon almost got into an intimate relationship with a huge crate, full of food, mostly vegetables. However, before the crate could have carved a hole into his skull, the Jedi grabbed it with the Force in mid-air, placing it gently on the cargo hold's floor. The other crew members just stared in stunned silence, Jeremy among them.

"Okay... would you care to tell what the fuck a Jedi's doing here?" he asked, and Qui-Gon felt it clearly that he wasn't amused.


	3. Chapter 3

For a brief moment, Qui-Gon even considered denying everything, but he realized quickly that it just wasn't a way to deal with the situation. He could have tried Jedi mind trick, but he had a guess it would have had devastating consequences.

"I'm not a Jedi..." When Jeremy just stared at him with an arched eyebrow, he quickly added, "Well, I am, just... I'm not part of the Jedi Order."

"What does that mean?"

The other members of the crew just listened to the conversation, quietly whispering among themselves.

"It means I don't belong to anywhere... or to anyone. They... kicked me out" Qui-Gon admitted, and his face turned red with shame and barely suppressed anger and despair.

He really didn't want to talk about it further, and fortunately, Jeremy seemed to notice this.

"Fine, you don't have to discuss it any further if you're not up to it, but promise me one thing: no one will come after us with blazing blasters, looking for you."

"That won't be a problem" Qui-Gon muttered; his mood declined amazingly in the last few minutes.

Jeremy just nodded, and after that intermezzo they quickly finished the packing, and soon the ship was on its way to the next planet. Dantooine was the fourth or fifth stop on the ship's course, so Qui-Gon had to spend a considerable amount of time with these people; and he wasn't sure at all that it was the best for him right now.

In exchange for a few credits, he could rent one of the few passengers' cabins, so at least he could be alone if he wanted; and he wanted nothing more than being left alone for a while after this conversation with Jeremy.

The room was approximately as big as his bathroom back in the Temple, with a mattress and a nightstand, and that was all of the furniture.

After locking the door of his cabin, Qui-Gon kicked off his shoes, changed into his much more comfortable sweatpants and sleeping T-shirt, then curled up on the mattress, using his robe as a blanket. As he listened to the various noises of the ship – the hyperdrive's steady hum, the crew members' moving around, the muffled fragments of different conversations – he suddenly felt the full weight of the situation crushing down on him.

He wasn't just on a mission that would end after a definite time. His Padawan fell to the Dark Side. He'd failed as a master. He was cast out of the only family he knew, he didn't have a place to go home, to call home anymore, and he was alone like he'd never been before. There was no one he could've turned to. He was all by himself, and it hurt much more than he'd care to admit.

Qui-Gon curled up even further and soon cried himself to sleep in the lonely darkness of the small cabin.

⃰

Back in the Temple Dooku decided to have a shower first, hoping that it would help him to calm down at least a little, but his anger was still at boiling point when he strode on the corridors toward master Yoda's private chamber, already in fresh clothes. When he reached the Grandmaster's door, he didn't bother knocking; in fact, he wanted to kick the door open.

"A surprise, to see you" Yoda greeted him with outrageous calm. "Go well, your mission did?"

"My mission's not important" Dooku answered, his palm itching for his lightsaber which he wisely left in his room. "Why did you exile Qui-Gon? What the fuck could he possibly have done to punish him so cruel?"

"A punishment, it is not."

Dooku couldn't help his sarcastic snort.

"Last time I checked, banishment _was_ a form of punishment."

"To the Dark Side, his Padawan fell" Yoda added, but it was still not an acceptable explanation for Dooku.

"That had never been a reason to kick out anybody. What the hell was your _real_ reason to do this to Qui-Gon? There _has_ to be a reason."

Yoda just watched him for a while, his big greenish-brown eyes serene and soft as he regarded his former Padawan.

"Your attachment to each other, it is still strong, after all these years" the little green master commented finally. "But where you succeeded, failed, he had."

Dooku just frowned; he didn't understand the point yet.

"What are you talking about? I thought we're over this attachment-bullshit."

"Think and act like a Jedi, you can. Qui-Gon cannot. Too needy, too clingy, he is, for a Jedi" Yoda sighed, and it was obvious he felt bad about the outcome of the whole mess. "Too hard for him, a Jedi's life is."

"So you just decided to... what, to throw him out of the only home he knew in all of his life? Shit, that's so fucked up..." Dooku laughed, but only out of shocked disbelief. "Do you even think just for _once_ before you're judging people?!"

Yoda had the decency to look at least a bit ashamed, but Dooku knew for sure that he wouldn't change the Council's decision; however much he possibly felt pity for Qui-Gon, Yoda wasn't going to accept him back, since he was convinced Qui-Gon wasn't fit to be a Jedi. And the Order didn't need unsuitable members.

"You could have at least relocated him to one of the Corps... Kicking him out was just downright cruel" Dooku said, shaking his head.

Yoda considered it carefully for a moment, then sighed.

"Perhaps still a chance, there is... He could join AgriCorps, if willing to come back, he is."

Dooku simply wanted to strangle the green troll for a second.

"Thank you" he managed to mutter. "I'd gladly go and deliver the news to him."

"Be with you, the Force may" Yoda nodded, sending Dooku on his way.


	4. Chapter 4

Once back in his quarters, Dooku collapsed on the couch in the common room, trying to organize somehow his racing, confused thoughts. Everything happened too fast for his exhausted mind and body; he had been away for two months, after all, and the mission was demanding in every possible way. His anger kept him running up to this point, but now he just wanted to let sleep claim him, right here on the couch, and before he could even finish that thought, he indeed fell asleep.

He woke up a few hours later, in an impossible position, so when he tried to get up, every stiff muscle in his body screamed in agony. Dooku didn't care, he just went to the bathroom and splashed some cold water into his face to get his mind working; he had a lot to think over and do.

First of all, he knew he also had to leave the Temple forever. He simply couldn't stay in any place where one of his loved ones had been treated so cruelly. Qui-Gon didn't deserve the Council's judgement, and because of that, the Council didn't deserve Dooku's loyalty anymore. He just couldn't give it to them after that.

Since he was going to leave with Yoda's blessing, no one would be suspicious for a while, and that was exactly what Dooku wanted. He hoped that by the time anyone would be realizing that he'd left for good, he would get to Qui-Gon, and together they could find a place where not even master Yoda would be able to track them down.

The Jedi sighed deeply as he dragged out his travelling bag from under his bed, where he kicked it when he got home. He wasn't happy with that outcome, but at least he could tell that it was his own decision; Qui-Gon didn't have this chance at all. He'd just been thrown out, left to his fate without any help. Dooku still choked on his rage by this thought.

He finished the packing in about ten minutes, but before he left, a thought hit him. Mace mentioned briefly that Qui-Gon's lightsaber had been destroyed when his fallen Padawan attacked him. Qui-Gon barely managed to get away with his life, and right now he was out there in the galaxy without a weapon.

Dooku went back to his room, and after a minute of searching he found his old lightsaber, the one he'd built when he himself was still just a Padawan. He knew it wouldn't be perfect for Qui-Gon, but it should do until he could build a new lightsaber.

After that, Dooku grabbed his bag and left without telling as much as 'goodbye' to anyone.

⃰

The fact that Dooku knew Qui-Gon since he was a little child helped a great deal to figure out what he could have done in the desperate situation he was in. Dooku probed the Temple's near vicinity through the Force, trying to find trails of Qui-Gon's presence, which he knew just as well as his own, but he felt only faint echoes of it. Qui-Gon had been there, but a day ago, at the very least. He could have been anywhere since.

Dooku followed these echoes and did a bit asking around as well; fortunately – or not, it depends – Qui-Gon was a sight not easily forgotten. He was taller than most of humans with his 190+ cm, and his nice, silky, long brown hair and breathtakingly beautiful midnight-blue eyes were a combination proved to be irresistible for females on many occasions. Males also noticed him regularly, but mostly because they considered him as a rival.

Soon, in a cantina near to a smaller spaceport, Dooku could speak with a few workers from a huge cargo ship who have seen Qui-Gon not long ago.

"Long brown hair, big, sad dark blue eyes... yeah, that was him" a female nodded when Dooku showed her a picture of his former apprentice. "He looked pretty depressed. Like he's going to cry in any minute."

 _I can imagine..._ , Dooku thought as a fresh wave of fury ran through him.

"What did he do? Did he go anywhere from here?" he asked instead, trying really hard to keep his anger in check.

"As far as I know, he managed to get on the _Drunken Philosopher_. She left yesterday, so maybe you can catch up to her."

"Thank you so much for your help" Dooku said with a rigid smile then turned on his heel and left the cantina.

If he hadn't been so stressed, he'd surely have tried to find out how the ship got her pretty strange name, but now he just didn't care. After he acquired her planned course from the head dock officer with a Jedi mind trick, he got back to the Temple for the last time – just to steal the fastest ship he could find.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why the ship name? Well, I'm still traumatized by my philosophy exam, that's why


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> About the Jedi Enclave: yes, I know, I've played KOTOR I & II, too. That's where artistic license comes in, please deal with it.

The journey on the _Drunken Philosopher_ had been fairly quiet after the revelation that Qui-Gon was a full-fledged Jedi. Fortunately, the crew members didn't harass him with questions about that; they most probably saw how painful the whole topic was for him, so they left him alone for most of the time. Qui-Gon was grateful for that.

When he wasn't helping the others with some task or another, he just hid in his small room or went for long walks when they stopped on a planet for a day or two. Jeremy sometimes tried to cheer him up a bit, but as time passed, Qui-Gon just became more and more desperate and sad. He just didn't see any way out of this situation; he knew he needed help but had no idea where or who to ask for it.

If it hadn't been enough, a few days before they finally reached Dantooine he started to feel sick. It began with headaches and mild dizziness, but it got worse pretty fast. By the time they landed on Dantooine, he was shivering with fever and had a bad coughing fit in every few minutes.

"I know you're kicked out of your Order, but as far as I know, the Jedi has some kind of base here on Dantooine. It's pretty near, even. They should help you" Jeremy suggested as he watched Qui-Gon dragging himself down on the landing ramp.

"I'm gonna be fine..." _...without them_ , Qui-Gon wanted to say, but his hurting chest and irritated, sore throat cut him short.

"The fuck you'll be! Let's go, I'll escort you there."

Qui-Gon would've preferred a hospital more, but he felt so weak that he simply didn't have the strength to argue further; and the Jedi Enclave was indeed near. So he let Jeremy lead – or more like support – him to the Enclave, however, by the time they got there, he was barely conscious. He leaned on the younger man, and his only concern was not to collapse on the doorstep of the building.

The Jedi master who let them in obviously recognised Qui-Gon and knew about his current status, but seeing that he was ill and in need of help, she couldn't turn him down with a clean conscience.

"The medbay is this way" she said and led the two men into the building.

Later Qui-Gon didn't remember any of this. Not much after they stepped into the Enclave, he ran out of the last drops of his strength and collapsed on the floor, already unconscious.

⃰

About half a day after the _Drunken Philosopher_ arrived on Dantooine, another ship landed near the Jedi Enclave: the _Chrystal Shard_ , the ship Dooku stole from Coruscant. It was a small, elegant and fast ship, enough only for four people altogether, so when needed, one person was enough to run her.

In the last two weeks or so Dooku had been tracking down the _Drunken Philosopher_ from planet to planet, always being late by mere hours. Now it seemed he managed to arrive in time; and he had a strong feeling that this mild, grassy planet was Qui-Gon's destination anyway. So one way or another, he should find his former Padawan here.

Dooku's first way led to the Jedi Enclave to get a bit of rest and refill his supplies; and perhaps to ask about Qui-Gon, but it finally proved to be unnecessary. Almost the instant he stepped into the building, he sensed his ex-Padawan's presence; however, it was clouded by pain and trails of sickness. Dooku closed the distance to the sick bay running.

"When did he end up here? How's he?" Dooku asked the healer, casting worried glances at the curled up, sleeping form of Qui-Gon.

"He arrived yesterday, already ill... He's got a nasty virus, but he should be okay in a week or two. Would you like to stay with him?"

"Yes, thank you."

The healer smiled at him reassuringly, then she left him alone with his sleeping former apprentice.

Dooku walked to the bed silently, then sat down, careful not to wake Qui-Gon. It was obvious after only one glance that he needed the rest desperately. He was pale save for the feverish redness of his cheeks, and he shivered even in his sleep, no matter how much he curled up. Dooku took off his robe and covered the sleeping Jedi carefully, hoping that it would warm him up a little.

Qui-Gon stirred a bit, then after a few minutes, he opened his eyes, blinking sleepily at his former master.

"I thought... I was just dreaming" he murmured into the pillow; even keeping his eyes open was an obvious effort for him right now.

"No, you're not dreaming. I'm really here, but first you need to get better. We can talk later. Sleep, little one!" Dooku whispered, stroking Qui-Gon's hair gently. "It's going to be okay now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The name of Dooku's ship: I like Forgotten Realms as well (high five if you get the reference :)


	6. Chapter 6

After Dooku arrived on Dantooine and spent the days with his sick former Padawan, Qui-Gon began healing much faster than the healers in the Enclave anticipated. His fever broke after two days, and he was well enough to travel after only a week.

"I never realized you have such talent in healing" the Jedi on medbay-duty praised Dooku when she saw how much better Qui-Gon was. "He was in a really bad shape a few days ago."

Qui-Gon still slept a lot, but without the fever to torture him, he was recovering in a more than satisfying rate.

"Well, I think it's more like the fact that it's me, not some stranger" Dooku shrugged, stroking his sleeping ex-apprentice's face gently as he sat beside him on the bed.

Although, the healer was right in her assumption, he indeed used his Force-healing skills as well. They weren't good enough for being a healer, but they could help a lot in minor cases like illnesses, bruises and breaks.

She huffed disapprovingly by the display of the deep attachment, but when Dooku glared at her, she wisely decided that she didn't want to piss off this Jedi master. So she just shook her head, leaving the two Jedi alone.

Dooku felt a lump forming in his throat and angry tears burned in the corners of his eyes. He grew so damn tired of this whole shitload of an Order. How could they even consider living like this, let alone make it the only acceptable way and punish those who could not follow it?

The Jedi Council considered Qui-Gon weak because of his gentle, kind and caring nature and his need for attachment; for Dooku, he was one of the strongest Jedi he had ever known. Empathy wasn't a weakness, and it shouldn't have been considered as such.

"Why are you upset?" Dooku heard suddenly, and the question jerked him out of his whirling thoughts.

He looked at Qui-Gon, a curled up bundle of blankets and his robe, blinking at him with an openness Dooku never saw in anybody else. His ex-Padawan looked just like he did when he was only ten years old and snuggled into his bed almost every morning, wrapping himself up in the warm blanket so only his big, curious eyes were visible. Dooku had never seen anything that was so cute.

"I... I just..." he began, but he couldn't put into words the emotions that ran through him: anger, disappointment, worry, longing, regret, and a love so fierce it tightened his chest to a point of being painful. "I'm sorry I wasn't there..." he whispered, and his voice cracked in the end even so slightly.

Qui-Gon, who was always very good at identifying other people's emotions, felt his master's distress clearly, and his first, innate instinct was to help, however he could. So he got up and snuggled into Dooku's arms, hugging him and resting his head on his shoulder.

Dooku hugged him back, running his fingers through his long hair, and perhaps that gesture did it, perhaps the crushing feel of relief that he wasn't alone, he didn't know, but a moment later Qui-Gon broke down, sobbing desperately into Dooku's shoulder.

His ex-master just held him, stroking his back and hair, but for a long time he just couldn't calm down. Everything hurt, and he simply felt miserable and emotionally beaten up.

"Don't cry... I know you're feeling awful right now, but please don't cry. It's going to be better, I promise" Dooku whispered into his hair as he stroked Qui-Gon's back slowly. "You're going to be better."

His former apprentice didn't answer, but soon he finally stopped crying, sniffling tiredly into his tunic.

"Will you... stay with me? At least for a while..." he asked, and he sounded like a lost five-year-old.

Dooku's heart squeezed painfully, hearing the despair in Qui-Gon's muffled voice.

"Sure, little one" he answered, hugging his former Padawan more protectively. "But I don't think we can stay here."


	7. Chapter 7

"Why? What's wrong with Dantooine?" Qui-Gon asked. "It's mild, quiet..."

"And full of Jedi, which could pose a problem, because..." Dooku stopped, not quite sure how to proceed. "...because of our current situation."

" _Our_ situation? I'm afraid I don't completely understand..."

"Neither of us is a Jedi anymore, Qui."

Qui-Gon needed a few seconds to process the information, but when he did, he looked up at his former master with stunned disbelief.

"What happened?" he asked.

"When I got back to the Temple after my last mission, Mace greeted me with the news of you being exiled. Yoda then explained me that you're basically the most un-Jedi-like person who ever existed in the Order, and it was the wisest decision to kick you out into the Galaxy without the slightest of help. And that was the exact moment when he lost his _every fucking right_ to my understanding and loyalty."

Qui-Gon swallowed, looking miserably lost, confused and above all, hurt. Dooku's heart broke when he saw fresh tears in his eyes, but he was determined to finish the story; Qui-Gon deserved his full honesty.

"That's not all of it... After this, Yoda made an offer: you can join the AgriCorps if you want. But he did this only after... after I've suggested that it would be a possible option at all."

There was an unsettling silence after the last sentence. Qui-Gon just stared down at his hands in his lap while tears were running down quietly on his cheeks; he didn't seem to notice. He was too shocked to be bothered by such mundane things.

So after the Council kicked him out without even a logical or acceptable reason, Yoda would take pity on him and offer him a side job, but just because someone else came up with the idea. He'd have never thought of it by himself.

Qui-Gon didn't have any problem with the AgriCorps, in fact, he'd have gladly retired to one of their planets when he'd be too old for being an active, fighting Jedi, but this mercy-offer just made him sick. It didn't come because Yoda realized that he was a truly valuable part of the Order; the little green troll just wanted to save face before Dooku, and through him, before the whole Order. It was plainly disgusting, and it hurt very much.

Dooku simply couldn't say anything that would have made it more bearable or just a tiny bit less screwed up, so he just hugged his former Padawan tight, stroking his back soothingly as he cried silently into his shoulder. Then, after about ten minutes, Qui-Gon apparently ran out of tears. He was very still, but Dooku knew he wasn't asleep.

"I'm staying with you, little one. I won't go back, ever. I can't, not to such a fucked up place."

"Okay, but... what should we do?" Qui-Gon muttered, his voice barely audible.

Dooku thought it over, then sighed deeply.

"We go to Serenno."

⃰

Years passed, and the two outcast Jedi lived in peace on Dooku's home planet. Qui-Gon recovered from the trauma of his Padawan falling to the Dark Side, and he learned to live without the Order, however, they were the only family he knew in all of his life, and losing them wounded him deeply.

Just when Dooku thought that they would be all right and everything was going to be fine, the sensors around his mansion picked up a sign: a Jedi spacecraft entered the atmosphere and headed right toward Dooku's home.


	8. Chapter 8

Not a minute passed when the communicator in his office signalled an incoming call. Dooku had a very bad feeling about the whole business, but he answered nonetheless.

"This is Mace Windu on the behalf of the Jedi Order. I request permission to land."

To his credit, Mace sounded definitely uneasy and guilty, so he surely knew he was a persona non grata here; and he asked for permission to land, instead of just invading Dooku's territory aggressively, as Jedi often did in their too high sense of importance. Still, at first, Dooku wanted to deny the request, or even better, to shoot the light spacecraft right out of the sky, but finally he didn't do either. What if it wasn't just Mace? He didn't want to kill innocents.

"Permission granted" he answered with more than a healthy dose of threatening.

Qui-Gon was away right now on a three-day-long trip in his favourite forest nearby, and Dooku was beyond grateful for that. He was sure this visit from the Order would just hurt his former Padawan, and he didn't want that. It was for the best that he would face Mace alone.

It happened in less than fifteen minutes. The Jedi spacecraft landed gracefully on the Dooku-mansion's own, well-hidden landing pad; it was the same type as the one Dooku stole from the Order many years ago, the _Chrystal Shard_. He hadn't sent it back to this day, and he slept perfectly well because of it. Moreover, he and Qui-Gon sometimes used it to make trips to planets they were curious about, like Tython or Alderaan.

Soon the ship's ramp descended, and Dooku could see the tall, strong frame of Mace Windu; however, he was quite surprised when behind Mace he saw a second, much smaller form. Mace had a Padawan?

"Greetings, master Dooku" Mace said with a slightly nervous smile. "Thank you for letting us to land."

The kid with Mace, a small, cute boy with reddish-brownish, messy hair and big, sad gray-blue eyes, bowed respectfully, as it could be expected from a well-trained, polite Padawan; but Dooku didn't see the braid. That business just got shadier with every passing minute.

Dooku returned the respectful gesture, not without any malice; he truly had much higher opinion about this yet unknown child than about the whole Jedi Council altogether. He saw on the other master's face that the deed hit its intended mark, and he smiled slightly into his beard. The Council could go and...

"Explain yourself" Dooku said, keeping his eyes on Mace; and these eyes were colder than the winter on Hoth, despite their deep, warm brown colour.

"I know that officially you're not a Jedi anymore, neither is Qui-Gon, but master Yoda demanded that we have to reach out to you in that case" Mace began, and Dooku felt his blood pressure increasing steadily; whatever Yoda wanted, it tended to bring pain into many lives.

He had a strong guess that this child with the sad eyes was the latest victim of the old troll's meddling, and he honestly felt sorry for him. Adults were one thing, they could protect themselves, but children? Dooku wondered if there was a depth in scheming Yoda hadn't reached yet.

"What do you want with us?" he asked while he involuntarily tried to send positive feelings to the kid through the Force; he looked like he needed it.

"Well, this child is Obi-Wan Kenobi, he's thirteen years old; which means he has to leave the Order, since he doesn't have a master."

With these words Obi-Wan's eyes filled with tears, but he tried his best to hide them; and Dooku wanted to burn the whole Order to the ground.

"Go on" he hissed through gritted teeth.

"The initial plan was to send him to the AgriCorps, but then just a day before he'd have departed from Coruscant, master Yoda told me to bring him here, because here Obi-Wan would find his true destiny."

Dooku couldn't help his laugh anymore, a sarcastic, bitter and utterly humourless laugh, and he shook his head in shocked disbelief. Obi visibly flinched at the open display of the strong contempt toward master Windu, but Dooku couldn't afford to care about it now.

"Let me get this straight: first, you want to kick a _child_ out of the Order, send him to a place he clearly doesn't want to go, then leave him alone there. Then, when Yoda says something vague at best out of thin air, you come up with the idea to bring this child here, hoping... what, exactly? That we'll be your free and obedient babysitters, or what?"

Mace clearly felt miserable, he couldn't really handle the whole situation, and it was showing beautifully; Dooku almost felt sorry for him. However, whom he truly pitied in this whole story was Obi-Wan. Poor kid was just at the wrong place, at the wrong time.

"Please, master Dooku..." he began, and Dooku realized that it was the first time he heard the kid speak; his voice was small, like he was on the edge of crying, which wouldn't have been surprising. "Please let me stay... I promise I won't be a burden, I can take care of myself, I'll make my own food, wash my clothes..."

Dooku sighed as he felt an almost irresistible urge to hug the kid; he looked so sad and small, the Jedi wouldn't have guessed he was thirteen. He looked more like eleven.

"Look, Mace, I don't want to pretend I understand the screwed up place that is Yoda's mind, and honestly, I don't have the slightest of desire to understand it. I ask only one thing: _Leave. Us. Alone._ Am I made myself clear?"

"Perfectly. But what about the boy?"

"Obi-Wan can stay. You won't ruin another life if I can help it."

The words clearly hit their marks again, and Mace almost visibly flinched.

"Thank you" he said. "We won't disturb you again. May the Force be with you, young Kenobi."

Mace didn't wait for an answer, he turned on his heel and soon the Jedi spacecraft departed from the mansion's landing pad, speeding through the air and disappearing in the clear blue sky of Serenno in only a few seconds.


	9. Chapter 9

When Mace's ship disappeared in the distance, Dooku looked at the scared, sad kid and he saw that Obi was crying silently. He must've been pretty upset and tired because of this whole ordeal he'd been through the last day. Dooku didn't even think, he just picked the child up, hugging him gently and stroking his back soothingly. He just couldn't watch him suffer.

"Shhh, it's going to be alright now" the Jedi master murmured, and he felt Obi snuggling closer after his initial surprise. "You won't be alone here, I promise."

"Master Dooku...?"

"Hm?"

"I'm hungry" Obi whispered, somewhat ashamed, which Dooku didn't quite understand.

"Fine, then go in and we'll find something to eat for you."

Dooku put the child down, and Obi followed him obediently into the mansion. The kid had only a backpack with him; Dooku saw a fluffy, soft paw peeking out of it, indicating the presence of some kind of stuffed toy, and it somehow made the whole thing worse. Dooku couldn't even begin to imagine the cruelty needed to cast a child out of his home, yet, the Council did just that without the slightest of remorse. This Order needed some serious reformation, or a thorough burn-down, whichever would've done.

"What would you like to eat, Obi? What's your favourite food?" Dooku asked when they stepped into the spacious kitchen of the mansion.

"Could I have a pizza?" Obi asked, and Dooku nodded, giving the necessary orders to the two chef-droids working non-stop there. "With ham and cheese."

"Excellent choice" Dooku smiled at the kid; he wasn't a pizza-fan, but if Obi's desire was a good pizza, then he wouldn't contradict.

After they ate, Dooku sent the kid to have a bath then he gave him a tour in the mansion. Obi was clearly tired, so in the end of the tour Dooku led him to the room next to his on the right side – the next room to the left from his was Qui-Gon's place. Obi stepped into the room, looking around in awe; he'd never seen such an elegant room.

"Your mansion is really nice, master Dooku" he said, smiling timidly at the Jedi master.

"Thanks, little one. But it's not just mine, Qui-Gon, my former Padawan, also lives here, he's just on a trip right now. And from now on, it's yours, too."

"Jedi cannot have..." Obi began by pure reflex but then fell silent when he realized the hard truth that he wasn't a Jedi anymore.

Dooku's heart broke as he watched the realization drawing on Obi's innocent little face, and the kid's eyes filled with tears again. If he still had had any friendly feeling toward the Jedi Order, it would have vanished in that exact moment. Nothing could justify doing this to a child. He sat down on the huge, comfortable bed, tugging Obi's hand gently, encouraging him to follow the example.

"Look, Obi, I know it's incredibly hard for you, but you need to understand one thing in all of this: it wasn't your fault" Dooku said when Obi, too, was sitting on the bed, curling up into a ball at his side. "You didn't do anything wrong, and you didn't deserve this. It was cruel to kick you out of your home, and nothing can justify this, ever."

"But... none of the masters chose me, no one wanted me to be their Padawan..." Obi sniffled, hiding his face into Dooku's tunic. "Something's wrong with me, I'm not worthy to be a Jedi, that's why they didn't choose me..."

Dooku could've screamed at the utter wrongness of everything Obi had said, but he restrained himself for the sake of the child in his care.

"No, Obi, as far as I can tell, nothing is wrong with you... except that perhaps you're a bit too small for your age."

Obi stopped crying just to cast an indignant glance at the Jedi master. Dooku couldn't entirely suppress a smile; he had a guess that it was the glimpse of the true Obi-Wan beneath the mask of his current despair and sadness.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, then Obi stirred a bit, looking up at Dooku.

"Master Windu didn't tell you everything" he said quickly, as if he wanted to say it before he could've changed his mind.

"What a surprise..." Dooku sighed and rolled his eyes a bit. "And would you like to share it with me, little one?"

Obi hesitated a bit then nodded; the determined expression on his face was quite cute.

"Master Yoda had a vision, that's why he told those things to master Windu, and that's why he sent me here."

"I see. And do you know what master Yoda saw in that vision of his?"

"Yeah... because I had the same vision as well" Obi said, and Dooku felt his jaw dropping.

Theoretically, any Jedi could experience Force-visions at any stages of their life, but there were factors that made it very rare or altogether missing, and being a child was one of these factors; another one was a strong connection to the Living Force, as was the case with Qui-Gon. As far as Dooku knew, his former Padawan never had any kind of vision; nightmares, yes, especially when he was emotionally distressed, but never a vision.

"And what did you see, little one?" Dooku asked, barely able to conceal his growing curiosity.

"The Force wants me to be master Qui-Gon's Padawan" Obi said, now with a spark of hope on his face. "Do you think he'd be my master if I asked?"

At first, Dooku didn't know what to say; he believed Obi, he felt that the kid was telling the truth, but it was a quite complicated situation, and he was sure Qui-Gon would flat-out turn it down. When they spent whole nights with talking through the whole Xanatos-falling-to-the-Dark-Side issue, Qui-Gon stated more than once that he wouldn't take another Padawan even if he'd still been a member of the Jedi Order.

"Well, Obi, he isn't here right now, for one. And for two, we'll have to explain this new situation to him when he gets back, so I suggest that you should wait bringing this up. Let him get used to you first, right?"

Obi nodded, trying to suppress a yawn, with limited success.

"Alright, bedtime, then" Dooku smiled, and Obi reached out to grab his backpack.

"Promise you won't laugh..." the kid muttered as he took a fluffy plush kitten out of the bag, hugging it tight to his chest as he curled up under the blanket.

Dooku tucked him in, smiling into his beard quietly.

"Don't worry, little one, having a soft toy at thirteen is perfectly fine. Qui-Gon still had his lion at twenty."

Obi seemed to calm down learning this information about his hoped-to-be-master.

"When will he get back?" he asked.

"He should be home by tomorrow evening, I think."

Obi nodded, snuggling deeper under the warm blanket. A minute later, he was fast asleep, hugging the ridiculously soft-looking gray tabby kitten tight. Dooku stood up, and after a last gentle glance, he left the room, switching off the lights on his way out.


	10. Chapter 10

It didn't matter that he wasn't in the Jedi Temple anymore, his inner clock woke Obi up exactly at seven o'clock the next morning. At first, he was confused that he wasn't in his small room in the Temple, but then he remembered everything quickly: the Council sent him away because he didn't have a master.

The despair he felt when he got these news returned, but master Dooku's words from the previous evening eased it a bit; it wasn't his fault. Obi still couldn't believe it completely – there had to be a reason the masters didn't want him as a Padawan, after all – but it felt good that at least not everybody thought that he was worthless.

The kid got up, washed his face then changed into one of his initiate-uniforms (he didn't have other clothes yet), and after making his bed he stepped out of his room, not quite sure what to do. The mansion was quiet, it seemed that no one here was such an early bird as him; he even heard Dooku's steady snoring when he passed by his door.

Finally, Obi decided to raid the kitchen for some breakfast, then... He didn't know what to do then. Back in the Temple, after breakfast with his friends, he went to his classes, but there were no classes here, just a scary amount of time he had no idea what to do with. Perhaps master Dooku could help him with this, but he was fast asleep yet.

Obi found the kitchen for the second try and devoured all of the leftover pizza, then he went back to the bedrooms. He still heard Dooku snoring his head off, so he went to the room on the left; the room that was Qui-Gon's, as master Dooku mentioned it in a half-sentence yesterday.

Obi knew that it wasn't a nice thing to go into people's rooms when they weren't at home, but he meant no harm, he was just curious about Qui-Gon. With a strong determination that he won't touch anything, Obi opened the door slowly, then stepped in. The mansion had old-type doors, with gilded handles and all, but Obi saw that they could be upgraded with sensors and booby-traps, just like the automatic doors he saw all over the Temple.

Fortunately, Qui-Gon didn't use any defences on his door, so Obi could get in easily. The room was just like his own, with two huge windows, a big, very comfy-looking bed, a desk in the corner, and a reading nest by one of the windows. That particular nest was built of many huge, soft pillows and blankets, and Obi saw at least three books on the windowsill, waiting for Qui-Gon's return. Next to the books were a few small plants, all of them healthy and obviously cared after. So Qui-Gon liked plants and books; so far so good.

As Obi looked around, he saw that the two dominant colours in the room were dark brown and green, quite a few shades of it, and he found it somewhat calming. On the bed was a pile of washed clothes, and Obi quickly noticed that not one of them was traditional Jedi wear. So perhaps Qui-Gon despised the Jedi as much as master Dooku; and Obi wasn't entirely comfortable with that thought. He grew up as a Jedi right until yesterday, and watching his new caretakers showing so much contempt toward his de facto family was confusing at best.

Obi didn't know anything about the banishment of Qui-Gon, he was only a few years old when it happened, and he heard the former Jedi's name only once thorough his initiate years, he didn't even remember in what context. Then the vision came, but still nobody explained him whom he saw exactly. He just learned that this man with the unbelievably beautiful midnight-blue eyes and feline-like face was Qui-Gon Jinn, and he was no longer a member of the Jedi Order.

Then Mace Windu brought him here, to Serenno, and left him with Qui-Gon's former master.

"'Morning, little one... Being curious, eh?" Obi heard suddenly, and when he turned, he saw a still sleepy-eyed Dooku in a T-shirt and pyjama-bottom, leaning against the doorframe and smiling at him friendly.

"I'm sorry, master Dooku, I know I shouldn't have come in, and I meant no harm... I... I'm sorry" Obi said in one breath, looking genuinely guilty.

"Well, I'm sure Qui-Gon wouldn't get mad at you, but it's a generally accepted discipline that one shouldn't go into the room of others without their permission. Especially when they're not at home" Dooku stated with a bit of sternness; he wasn't mad at Obi, either, but he wanted to set up the borders in this partnership.

"I know, master Dooku. I won't do it again" Obi promised, waiting for his rightful punishment.

"Good" Dooku nodded, and it seemed he'd already dropped the topic. "But can I ask you something?"

"Of course, master Dooku" Obi answered immediately, being quite stunned that he could get away without a punishment.

"Please don't call me 'master'. I'm not a Jedi, either, just like you or Qui-Gon. So we don't have to stick to these titles and ranks, we're not better or worse than the other. I like to think we're more like a family here."

"Then how should I call you?"

"What about 'Dooku'?"

"Just... just like this?"

"Just like this" Dooku nodded, smiling.

⃰

After Dooku had breakfast and took a shower, they spent the afternoon with constructing a daily routine for Obi. Dooku flat-out stated that neither he nor Qui-Gon was up before nine o'clock in the morning, moreover, Qui-Gon tended to sleep 'till ten or eleven quite often, so if Obi woke up earlier, then that time was entirely his.

As Dooku was a lightsaber-duel instructor back in the Temple, as well as a quite reliable scholar, he took upon the task to teach Obi everything he knew, and he hoped that he would be able to draw Qui-Gon into this project as well.

"So, we'll have some meditation, swordfight-practice and Force-using practice at ten o'clock, then lunch, and after lunch we're going to have a lesson or two in history and other subjects" Dooku told the initial plan to Obi. "Is that okay with you, Obi?"

"Yes" Obi nodded. "And what about Qui-Gon?"

"Don't even try to communicate with him before noon; and before his first cup of tea. He's barely human without that stuff when he wakes" Dooku said, and Obi wasn't entirely sure if he's just joking.

 

It was eight o'clock in the evening when Qui-Gon finally arrived home, exhausted, dirty, ravenous and definitely happy; spending time in nature did a kind of good to him that nothing or no one else could.

Obi watched him, sitting on the stairs that led up to the bedrooms. Qui-Gon didn't bother climbing the stairs, he left his bag next to the door and headed straight toward the kitchen. While he ate everything he found, a servant-droid took his bag into his room. Soon Qui-Gon appeared again, still unaware of Obi's presence, who observed him carefully.

The kid remembered clearly the vision he had about this man, but the reality was even more stunning; and intimidating. Qui-Gon was very tall, and rogue-looking with his long hair and predator cat-like face, he had a very strong impression of a huge, dangerous puma. Obi didn't see his eyes yet, but he was sure that they, too, were more beautiful than they were in his vision.

Meanwhile, Qui-Gon disappeared in the small downstairs bathroom that was next to the kitchen, and soon Obi heard the noise of the working shower. He got up and ran to Dooku's room to tell the Jedi master that his former Padawan just got home.

"Alright, little one, let me speak with him first."

"Okay" Obi nodded, and they went downstairs.

Qui-Gon soon emerged from the bathroom in nothing else than a towel, drying his damp hair with another. When he saw that the welcoming committee had a plus member, he stopped dead in his track, looking between Dooku and Obi, who was hiding behind his former master.

"Oookay... Care to explain?"


	11. Chapter 11

Five minutes later they were sitting in the library of the mansion – Dooku liked having the serious conversations here. The library was huge, full of books, of course, and had a very comfortable couch and a pair of armchairs before a small, friendly fireplace.

Dooku and Obi were settled on the couch, Obi curled up into a little ball at the side of the Jedi master. Both of them had a cup of hot tea before them on the coffee table. A second later Qui-Gon joined them, cradling a cup of tea himself and dropping into one of the chairs. He wore nothing but dark gray sweatpants, his long hair was pulled back into a high ponytail, but its end still danced between his shoulder blades.

"I'm listening" he said, sipping his tea slowly.

While Dooku told him the story, carefully avoiding even the mention of Yoda's and Obi's shared vision, the kid had time to observe the younger Jedi. Qui-Gon indeed was like a huge cat, he was sleek, strong, and obviously felt comfortable in his current environment, resting one of his feet on the coffee table and not caring at all about Dooku's disapproving stare.

"I just had a shower, it's clean" he grinned at his former master.

He had a nice smile, Obi thought, and Dooku just shook his head. Then Qui-Gon's attention turned to Obi.

"I'm really sorry, kid, it wasn't okay to do this to you" he said. "So welcome to the club."

"Um... What do you mean?" Obi asked, not being sure how to understand Qui-Gon's comment.

"I was kicked out as well, so I guess it makes us similar on some level" Qui-Gon shrugged and smiled friendly at Obi. "But it's gonna be okay now, it's a good place to live in, you'll see."

Obi smiled back, being pretty relieved that Qui-Gon accepted him into their little family without any objections. He stood up and stepped to the former Jedi, hugging his neck.

"It wasn't okay to kick you out, either" he said, and Qui-Gon felt his pain and sadness clearly.

"Well, Obi, it's my past, and I can't change it... But I could learn to live with it, and you'll learn it, too. It won't hurt that much forever" he muttered and hugged Obi back, stroking the kid's back soothingly.

Dooku just watched them, with a soft smile on his face; perhaps it wasn't impossible to convince Qui-Gon to be a master again. Meanwhile, Obi snuggled into Qui-Gon's lap, curling up and resting his head on his shoulder.

"Very open kid..." the younger Jedi said to Dooku, but he obviously didn't mind Obi's straightforwardness.

Dooku and Qui-Gon then had a long conversation about Qui-Gon's trip and other things. Obi listened to it for a while, but soon he began drifting off. He felt so warm and safe with Qui-Gon that he eventually fell asleep in his lap, snoring softly into his shoulder.

"I put him into bed, then I think I'm going to sleep, too..." Qui-Gon yawned, standing up, careful not to wake Obi in his arms.

"I'll teach him whatever I can, but I need your assistance in this" Dooku said as he followed his ex-Padawan out of the library. "Would you help me?"

"Okay, why not?" Qui-Gon shrugged. "It's the least we can do for him. Poor kid..."

"Yeah... It's incredible how low the Order had sunk" Dooku sighed, shaking his head.

They reached Obi's room, and Qui-Gon laid him down gently, tucking him in.

"Softy... Where's Softy?" Obi mumbled in his half-asleep state, obviously searching for something.

At first Qui-Gon had no idea who or what Softy could be, but then he spotted the fluffy kitten plush not far away. He grabbed it and gave it to Obi. The kid immediately calmed down, hugging his kitten tight and falling asleep again in a split second. The two ex-Jedi exchanged a smile, then Qui-Gon went to his room, collapsed on his bed and after a second he was fast asleep. He didn't feel Dooku tucking him in.

⃰

Next morning Obi and Dooku were in the kitchen when Qui-Gon stumbled in somewhere around half past nine, looking pretty much like a zombie. He still wore only his sweatpants, but now his hair was let down completely, covering at least the half of his face, but the other half was sleepy enough.

"...'mornin'..." he muttered, searching for his favourite mug to have a cup of hot, strong tea.

Now Obi could see that Dooku wasn't joking when he said Qui-Gon was barely human before noon, but the kid found it quite funny.

"Hi!" he grinned at the sleepy zombie when he dropped on a chair next to him, cradling his mug like a lifeline.

Qui-Gon was too sleepy to talk yet, but he raised his hand and ruffled Obi's hair a bit to express his friendly feelings. Meanwhile, Dooku made some toast for his former Padawan.

"Here, enjoy" he said. "Then you're finally going to have a haircut."

Qui-Gon just grunted something incomprehensible then began his breakfast. As the tea kicked in, he seemed a bit more awake, but he was still sitting drowsily at the kitchen-table when Obi and Dooku went out to the garden to begin their first lesson.

An hour later Qui-Gon came out of the mansion, his hair combed and pulled back into a ponytail, wearing a T-shirt and comfortable sweatpants (not the one he used for sleeping) and again cuddling a cup of tea.

"Want to join?" Dooku asked when the other Jedi walked to them in the garden.

"Nah, just watching."

Qui-Gon sat down in the soft grass, sipping his tea contently and observing the lightsaber-practice. He saw immediately that Obi was a talented kid, which fact made it all the more incomprehensible that no one chose him as a Padawan.

Qui-Gon sighed; he just didn't get it at all what the hell was wrong with the Order.


	12. Chapter 12

Days passed, then the days formed into months, and Obi found his place perfectly on Serenno, except one thing: he still hadn't said a word about his vision to Qui-Gon. Somehow, he never felt the time appropriate; and to be honest, he was content with his current place, and he didn't want to screw it up. Dooku and Qui-Gon loved him, cared about him and taught him as best as they could, and Obi indeed learnt many things from them about the Force, about lightsaber fight or about the nature and wildlife. To risk this with something that would most probably just hurt Qui-Gon... Obi wasn't willing to do this.

But then one night he just lay in his bed wide awake, hugging Softy tight, and he couldn't shake off the feeling that he should speak with Qui-Gon. In fact, the Force almost screamed at him to do this finally, so Obi took a deep breath, got up, and headed to Qui-Gon's room, still holding Softy in his arms; he needed some moral support, after all.

Dooku had already been asleep, Obi heard him snoring when he passed by his room, but Qui-Gon's door was slightly open, and the kid saw the soft light of his reading lamp by his nest. The younger Jedi scarcely locked his door, thus saying that he was there if needed, and Obi liked spending time with him. While Qui-Gon read in his nest or cared after his plants, Obi was sitting on the floor, doing the assignments Dooku gave him, or just sketching on a piece of paper. They talked a lot when they were together like this.

When Obi reached Qui-Gon's room, he hesitated for a while, almost turning on his heel, but then he knocked on the door, peeking into the room. As he assumed, Qui-Gon was reading, curled up in his atrociously comfortable nest, wearing only his sleeping sweatpants. His hair was let down, but because he had a haircut not long ago, it ended near his shoulders.

"Could I come in?" Obi asked quietly when Qui-Gon looked up from his book.

"Sure" Qui-Gon smiled at him and put aside his book when the kid dropped next to him on one of the soft pillows. "What's the matter, kid? Insomnia?"

"Nope" Obi shook his head. "But you're up late. Perhaps _you_ have insomnia..."

"What an impertinent little brat you are!" gasped Qui-Gon in fake indignity, but his eyes were laughing.

"Well... perhaps that's what the masters didn't like in me" Obi muttered; he still couldn't completely put his banishment behind himself, it still hurt when he remembered it.

Qui-Gon felt a flicker of anger catching fire in him, but he strangled it quickly; it wouldn't lead any of them anywhere.

"Then you'd have been miserable with these masters" he said; he felt quite cruel, but it needed to be said. "And you know why? Because they would've tried to kill it in you. They would've tried to strangle the traits in you they wouldn't like, and eventually, you wouldn't have been the person you're meant to be. I know that right now it's hard to see it that way, but being here is better for you. Much better."

Qui-Gon felt like a total asshole when he saw the tears in Obi's eyes, but then the kid snuggled into his arms, like he used to do when they sat there like this, talking about this and that.

"I know I'm very lucky that you took me in" he whispered into the Jedi's neck. "And I love being here."

"I'm glad to hear that, little one" Qui-Gon smiled, pretty relieved that he didn't hurt Obi; that absolutely was not the point.

There was a few moments of silence, then Obi finally mustered enough courage to bring up the topic he wanted to talk about in the first place.

"Can I tell you something?"

"Anything, Obi, anytime. Something troubles you?"

"Well, you can say that... Before I came here, I had a... dream. Or a kind of dream. Or a vision. A vision about you."

Qui-Gon reacted much like Dooku back then, his jaw dropped with an almost audible bang on the floor. A vision for someone like him, who never experienced it, was almost incomprehensible.

"And what that vision showed you about me?" he asked, almost fearing the answer.

Obi swallowed but went on.

"That you're meant to be my master. Master Yoda also saw this, that's why he allowed me to come here at all... At least I suppose that's why... I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier. I know I should have" Obi whispered, trembling a bit, but Qui-Gon just hugged him tighter, however, he'd been speechless for long minutes after the kid's confession.

Obi didn't dare say anything, he just waited for Qui-Gon to recover from the first shock, hugging the former Jedi back. They sat like this for a while, then Qui-Gon sighed deeply, finally finding his voice again.

"It's okay, Obi, I don't blame you... Have you told this to Dooku as well?"

"Yeah. He said I shouldn't bring this up to you, and I wasn't going to, but now the Force suggested that perhaps it's time to tell it to you."

Qui-Gon nodded slowly.

"I see. But years ago I swore I would never take a Padawan again, and I want to keep it that way. I don't want to be anyone's master again, ever. So I'm sorry, Obi, but I can't offer you that kind of bond."

At first Obi felt utterly disappointed, but as the initial shock of the refusal dissipated somewhat, he realized something: he knew Qui-Gon loved him, he felt it in every minute of every day, and he knew Qui-Gon cared about him deeply. It indeed wasn't a bond between master and his Padawan, it was something much stronger: a bond between a parent and his child. This kind of bond existed between Dooku and Qui-Gon as well, and to an extent, between Obi and Dooku, too. And it was much better than anything the Order could offer.

"Okay" Obi nodded, watching Qui-Gon's face carefully. He saw that whatever memories came to his mind with this whole issue, they were painful for him. "I'm sorry I brought this up... I didn't mean to hurt you."

Qui-Gon just shrugged, still a bit sadly.

"Well, that's just another thing I have to live with... But... Master or not, I'll always be here for you" he smiled at Obi, and the kid smiled back.

It was enough for him; more than enough.

**The End**


End file.
